Virginia’s education department has finalized a new rule requiring all public schools to get parental permission before cooperating with students who want to identify as a different gender.
The new policies released on Tuesday bar schools from accommodating a student’s request to start going by a different name or pronoun at school unless the child’s parent provides the school with written permission. The policies also require students to play on the school sports teams and use the school bathrooms that match their biological sex.
“All children in Virginia deserve to have a parent engaged in their life and to be treated with dignity and respect,” Governor Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, said of the new policies.
“The VDOE updated model policies reaffirm my administration’s continued commitment to ensure that every parent is involved in conversations regarding their child’s education, upbringing, and care. Public comment, input, and concerns were carefully evaluated and assessed to formulate the updated model policies. The Department of Education has delivered policies that empower parents, prohibit discrimination, create a safe and vibrant learning environment by addressing bullying incidents immediately, and protect the privacy and dignity of all students through bathroom policies, athletic procedures, and student identification measures,” Youngkin said.
